2008 General Election Report Summary Jury wished to see how the “les- Background and Facts sons learned” during the

The 2008 General Election (VCCs), the VTC from which the Election Security had a record turnout by mail and trucks departed and collected the pre- at the polling places. Election night security was cinct equipment from the VCCs, and provided by a volunteer force of 65 those deputies who provided internal F.2: The County was well pre- OC Sheriff Department reserve of- and perimeter security at the VTC. pared to handle the voter turnout ficers and four professional service Reserve personnel also provided and handled it well. responders. The Orange County briefings to their people specifying

The recommendation has not tions contained in the report. The yet been implemented, but In accordance with Califor- specific sections are quoted below: will be implemented in the nia Penal Code Sections 933 and §933.05 For purposes of Subdi- future, with a timeframe for 933.05, each recommendation will vision (b) of Section 933, as to each implementation. be responded to by the government grand jury finding, the responding

The County was adequately Sheriffs Department (OCSD) Re- their duties and responsibilities. prepared to handle the contin- serve Bureau has been providing The reserve deputies deployed gencies which occurred on Elec- election security to the Registrar of in the field were in constant contact tion Day and handled it well. Voters Department for at least 28 with the OCSD command center by

Security at the Voter Talley years. These personnel provided a radio. They reported their departures Center and at the Vote Collection variety of services including internal from the garage, their arrivals and Centers was without incident. and perimeter security of the Vote departures from the VCCs, and their Tally Center (VTC). Here 20 reserve departures from the ballot collection F.5: The Registrar’s lessons- officers were posted at key locations centers as well as the numbers of bal- learned activities following the to limit access only to authorized lot boxes they were transporting and election were appropriate to im- personnel. Special security was pro- their arrival at the VTC. More impor- prove future election processes. vided to the computer room where tantly, they immediately reported any Responses to all Findings are only six Registrar employees were unplanned incidents that arose while requested from the Registrar of allowed access. enroute to or deployed at the vote Voters. Another 48 reserve officers per- collection centers. Responses to all Findings are formed driver escort, thus providing Deploying this all-volunteer force required from the Board of Supervi- a chain of custody to the integrity of provided a large cost savings to the sors. the ballots and precinct equipment Orange County taxpayers. It is esti- Responses to all Findings are from the time they were delivered mated that, compared to deploying requested from the County Execu- to the ballot collection centers until regular OCSD deputies on an over- tive Officer. A Response to Finding F4 is Required Responses 1. The recommendation has required from the Orange County been implemented, with The California Penal Code speci- Sheriff. a summary regarding the fies the required permissible respons- implemented action. Recommendations es to the findings and recommenda- 2. The recommendation has not tions contained in the report. The yet been implemented, but In accordance with Califor- specific sections are quoted below: will be implemented in the nia Penal Code Sections 933 and §933.05 For purposes of Subdi- future, with a timeframe for 933.05, each recommendation will vision (b) of Section 933, as to each implementation. be responded to by the government grand jury finding, the responding 3. The recommendation re- entity to which it is addressed. The person or entity shall indicate one of quires further analysis, with responses are to be submitted to the following: an explanation and the scope the Presiding Judge of the Superior 1. The respondent agrees with and parameters of an analysis Court. Based on the findings, the the finding. or study, and a timeframe for 2008-2009 Orange County Grand 2. The respondent disagrees the matter to be prepared for Jury makes the following recommen- wholly or partially with the discussion by the officer or dation: finding, in which case the head of the agency or de-